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Monday 30 December 2013

lavender green tea plum wine cocktail (serve hot or cold)

A cool lavender green tea plum wine, served on the rocks.

We're closing in on the end of another year and the beginning of a new one, yet again, and this means an alcoholic beverage recipe to mark the occasion, of course! In previous years, I've made ginger-lime-cider shandy, raspberry cucumber cocktail slushy, and spiked lemon-jasmine-banana smoothie.

This year, it's a very light and gentle plum wine cocktail, one that can be served hot or cold, so it doesn't matter whether you're in the Northern or Southern hemisphere - this is a drink for all seasons.

The inspiration for this drink stems from my trips to Japanese restaurants, where I've occasionally seen plum wine and green tea combinations, or ocha-wari, on the menu. For some reason I've never gotten around to ordering it, so I have no idea how my invention compares, but I will certainly treat myself next time I see ocha-wari on a drinks list. In the name of research, you understand.

This is a very flexible recipe, where you should feel free to adjust the amounts to your liking. Would you like tea with a hint of wine, or wine with a hint of tea? It's totally up to you.

Lavender green tea plum wine cocktail, served warm.

lavender green tea plum wine cocktail

First step - make the lavender green tea:

1 cup freshly boiled hot water
1 heaped teaspoon dried lavender buds (x2 if using fresh lavender), or a lavender tea bag
1 heaped teaspoon loose leaf green tea, or a green tea bag (a floral or herb infused one is lovely, e.g. jasmine green tea, or pomegranate green tea)
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Pour the boiling-hot water over lavender, and let it steep, covered, for 5 - 7 minutes. Then add in the green tea, and let it all steep together for 2 - 3 minutes. Strain to remove the buds and leaves. Add lemon juice. Use immediately for a warm cocktail, otherwise let it cool down completely, or chill in the fridge, for a cool cocktail. I would say that this will make up to 4 cocktails, at most, so multiply the recipe if you're planning on plentiful drinks.

Final step - make the lavender green tea plum wine cocktail:

lavender green tea
plum wine
ice cubes (optional)
sake (optional)

For a warm cocktail, combine freshly brewed hot tea, plum wine, and also, optionally, a splash or more of sake.

For a cool cocktail, combine chilled tea, plum wine, a few ice cubes, and also, optionally, a splash or more of sake.

I used a simple ratio of 1 part tea and 1 part wine for a fairly balanced flavour profile - about 1/4 cup of each, to create a small serving. You may use that as a guide, or find your own way!

P.S. I just thought of something. A bit of lychee syrup, or a fresh lychee garnish, would be an amazing addition! I've got to try that next time.


Drink up!

16 comments:

  1. That's a pretty awesome combination, Leaf. You're so talented when it comes to dreaming up intriguing flavor combinations. Plum wine is not something I'm super familiar with, but from what I've tried, I like it, and I think the addition of green tea and lavender is too interesting not to try!

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    1. Thanks, Yas! I enjoy sweet wines, so plum wine is one that I like. The tea dilutes the sweetness and the alcohol content, which suits me as I'm a lightweight. ;)

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  2. How lovely! Plum wine is so delicious, I can just imagine it lengthened with the tea like that.

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  3. Do you mind if I link this page to my Umeshu (plum wine) recipe page? I think it's a fab idea and I'd love my readers to see it!

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  4. Yummy. Alcoholic green tea is so nice. In Japan, I discovered and fell in love with a green tea liqueur called Zen. You've just reminded me that I should try to find a local stockist for it! Happy new year leaf x

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    1. Ooh, I should check out that liqueur too, it sounds delicious. Happy new year! x

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  5. Plum wine makes me so happy! It's what I drank while doing karaoke at the back of an izakaya in the tiny town where my brother taught English for four years. I'll never forget the old Japanese dudes singing Yellow Submarine along with us.

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  6. You always have the best sounding drinks even with the most interesting of ingredients. Happy Happy New Year!

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  7. This is a nice recipe for tea.I like this tea.Thanks for sharing this tea.

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  8. Plum wine is my absolute favorite alcoholic treat, no question! This sounds like a way to make it eeeeeeeven better:)

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